This invention relates to citrus pulp processing, and more particularly, this invention relates to a system and method for removing defects from citrus pulp.
Citrus pulp is separated from juice typically by processing the citrus pulp in a juice extractor, which strains out most of the seeds and membranes through a strainer tube to produce a fine citrus pulp and juice product. This juice product advances and is further processed at a juice finisher for separating citrus pulp from the juice. At this point in the processing, the pulp is somewhat xe2x80x9cclean,xe2x80x9d after having been broken up into smaller citrus pulp pieces as a result of processing through the strainer tube at the juice extractor.
It is desirable in some cases to produce a larger pulp sack in a premium pulp system by recovering pulp sacks that are more intact. For example, this citrus pulp can be added back to the juice to form a final product, e.g., a pulpy orange juice, or the citrus pulp can be collected separately, cleaned and pasteurized, and shipped to customers that package their own juice or sell citrus pulp wholesale.
There are also an increasing number of customers that collect citrus pulp as a byproduct to sell for additional revenue. Thus, an increasing number of customers require citrus pulp to be processed with large and intact pulp sacks. One way to accomplish this goal is to design a juice extractor having larger openings in the strainer tube. Although larger, intact pulp sacks would be processed, the use of larger openings in a strainer tube has drawbacks, however, because undesired material and citrus pulp defects could pass through the slots.
One prior art solution is a premium pulp system using a juice extractor, followed by processing at a juice finisher, and further processing for cleaning in a fluidized bed cyclone in which pulp and juice are processed together to separate components out by gravity. The design of the fluidized bed cyclone allows fluid to enter in tangentially and spin, with 20-30% of pulpy juice ejected from the bottom and 70% ejected from the top as a pulp and juice product. In a preferred mode of operation, small seeds and peel particles are ejected from the bottom portion of the fluidized bed cyclone.
There are some drawbacks to this system because the defects that are processed as part of the juice and citrus pulp are unacceptable to many customers. These defects may include discolored pulp, peel or portions of peel, albedo or portions of albedo, seeds, portions of seeds, black specks, mold, and non-citrus material such as insects, insect larvae or insect parts. Different customers have different specifications concerning these defects, depending on the citrus pulp defect, category of juice, and customer end use. In some cases, defects are unacceptable at any level, such as insect larvae.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for removing defects from citrus pulp that advantageously overcome the prior art drawbacks identified above.
In accordance with the present invention, a citrus pulp imager acquires image data of the citrus pulp at an inspection zone that receives citrus pulp advancing along a predetermined path of travel. A processor is operatively connected to the citrus pulp imager for receiving the image data and processing the image data to determine defects within the citrus pulp. A rejection mechanism rejects any citrus pulp determined to be defective.
In one aspect of the present invention, a light source illuminates the citrus pulp at the inspection zone. A camera is located at the inspection zone and acquires images of the citrus pulp. This camera can be a line-scan camera, CCD camera, or other imaging camera or similar mechanism that is operative for acquiring images of citrus pulp. A light source illuminates the citrus pulp and is operative at a predetermined range of wavelengths for highlighting defects to be illuminated. In one aspect of the invention, the wavelengths are such as to cause defects to fluoresce.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the advancing mechanism includes a belt conveyor, nozzle or translucent material through which citrus pulp is advanced and can be imaged. The rejection mechanism could include a mechanical diverter that diverts any citrus pulp determined to be defective from the path of travel, or an air nozzle that blows a jet of air onto citrus pulp determined to be defective to eject or divert the defective citrus pulp from the path of travel. In one aspect of the present invention, the processor is operative for determining defects in citrus pulp, including but not limited to, discolored pulp, peel or portions of peel, albedo or portions of albedo, seeds, portions of seeds, black specks, mold, or non-citrus material such as insects, insect larvae or insect parts.